How can anyone not love the captivating and conflicting worlds of ethereal spirits and mortals, which have enchanted poets, authors and composers for centuries, even before the Bard gave immortal life to Puck, Ariel and other supernatural friends? In the 19th and early 20th centuries, interest in fairy tales, concert works, ballet scores and theatrical pieces grew to mammoth heights. Holiday time has conspired to bring two such gems to Playhouse Square this week. While the Sugar Plum Fairy and company are doing their light-footed thing in the Pennsylvania Ballet production of "The Nutcracker" at the Allen Theatre, Cleveland Opera will be exploring the irresistible fantasy realm of Gilbert and Sullivan's "Iolanthe" at the State Theatre.

he Kirov Ballet of St. Petersburg is a tough act to follow. The Russian company's grand production of "La Bayadere" recently at the State Theatre set a superlative standard for Playhouse Square's 2003-04 Ballet series, which continues this week with Pennsylvania Ballet's production of Balanchine's "The Nutcracker."

While "La Bayadere" attracted balletomanes and a large contingent from the Russian community, "The Nutcracker" is geared toward family audiences.

Pennsylvania Ballet has been dancing George Balanchine's version of "The Nutcracker" for decades. But the fine Philadelphia company led by artistic director Roy Kaiser has not let the charming Christmas confection go stale.

When the company presents the work at home, more than 100 children from its school participate in the performances. In Cleveland, 75 students from 14 Northeast Ohio dance schools play most of the children's roles.

Before or after your visit to a "Nutcracker" performance this holiday season, fortify yourself with a meal inspired by the 111-year-old ballet.

The obvious menu will have nuts and sweets. Your personal culinary tour of the Land of the Sweets must include candy canes, sugarplums and decadent desserts.

But what to eat, beyond a childhood fantasy meal? Take inspiration from the Pennsylvania Ballet, which brings Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky's score and the late George Balanchine's choreography to the Allen Theatre this week.

The two share a home, but they also share a stage in "The Nutcracker."

By RITA GIORDANO The Philadelphia Inquirer

For lots of families, The Nutcracker is a holiday tradition: the gallant Cavalier and scary mice, dancing candy canes and sweet Marie. For Alexei Borovik and daughter Alisa, it's all a holiday tradition, too.

But while most people go only to see it, Alexei and Alisa dance it.

This is the third year that Alexei, a principal dancer with the Pennsylvania Ballet, and Alisa, 13, are sharing a stage in the Philadelphia production of the George Balanchine classic, which opened Friday and will run through Dec. 31.

It's that time again for the Pennsylvania Ballet to wave its magic wand at the Academy of Music, and give children and their families enchanted evenings of The Nutcracker.

Whether it was fathers in Eagles jackets escorting their daughters, a groupie family of some lucky child up on the stage, or even a jaded dance critic who's seen 20 Nutcrackers, we all were enthralled by the choreography by George Balanchine and music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Pennsylvania Ballet's production of "The Nutcracker" at Playhouse Square has come and gone. But the Sugarplum Fairy is still twirling on her toes from San Francisco, where the first full-length American version of the holiday classic premiered in 1944, to Washington, D.C., where the Kirov Ballet of St. Petersburg will present an unconventional masked interpretation directed by Russian-born artist Mihail Chemiakin.

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